"Hey sis, just got a call from the airport. They're on their way. I expect we'll see them in an hour or so. Perhaps a tad longer. I heard there was a bit of a ruckus after loading, but everything settled down so they got on the road," Kevin informed his sister, Kira. She owned Ravenwood Farms and had turned it into something amazing in just a few short years. A year after she started the farm, Kevin had come to work with her. There was just something about working with your family that made everything right.
"Thanks Kev. I am very excited about these guys. I can't wait until they get here." Kira smiled at her brother and then kissed his cheek softly before turning and heading into her office in the barn. She had a lot of paperwork to get organized. Horses that needed vetting, shoeing, supplies that needed to be purchased, feeding and pasturing schedules needed to be checked and double checked. The work of a horse farm owner was never finished.
Ten minutes later, a young blonde woman entered the barn tapping a black riding crop against her thigh. Under her arm she held a black riding helmet. She went directly to Kira's office and burst inside. "You have GOT to be kidding me, Kira!"
Kira sighed and massaged her temples as the woman burst in and yelled. Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, she gave a grin to her younger sister. "What is it now, Amanda?"
"Don't act like you don't know, Kir. It's all over the farm."
Amanda was fuming, Kira could tell, so she decided to be careful with her questions. Lord knew that her sister could, and would, fly off the handle for the simplest things anytime she felt like it. It was the last thing she needed right now.
"I'm telling the truth, Amanda. I have no idea what you're talking about."
Amanda took a hesitant breath and then tilted her head. Perhaps Kira didn't know what was going on. She frowned and took a seat in one of the chairs in front of Kira's desk. "So, you didn't order Bryan to take Moon out on the trails today?"
"No. Why would I do that? Bryan is supposed to be working with the yearlings today. Did you say he took Moon on the trails?" Oh, that man was going to be in so much hot water when Kira got her hands on him. For the past two months it has been like this. The guy was completely irresponsible and half the time he was late to work. When he did work, and did what he was told, the work was excellent, so Kira had been reluctant to fire him, but if he didn't hurry up and change his ways, he would be soon out of a job. "Thanks Amanda. When he gets back I will talk to him. He has to stop shirking his work like this. Oh, by the way, they've landed and are on their way here!"
Amanda stood from the seat and smiled at her sister. She had helped pick the horses out this time and so she had a vested interest in this. She was just as excited as Kira was. "Oh! What exciting news. I can't wait to see them in the flesh. I hope their flight was alright."
"I'm sure we would have been told had something happened. Kev said they told him there was a bit of a ruckus when they loaded, but then it settled down. Should just be an hour or so."
"Awesome, Kir. Be sure to ring me when they get here," she said before turning toward the door.
"Sure thing, Amanda. Oh, and make sure to stay out of Gene's way today, hmm? He's grumpy today and you always seem to rub him the wrong way regardless of what you do."
"Yeah, I don't know what it is about that old man. See you, Kir. Call me." Then Amanda disappeared out the office door and Kira was alone once more. Alone with her paperwork. Sighing, she went back to it while she waited for the trailer to arrive.
Feeling the rumble of the truck before it even arrived an hour later, Kira jumped up from where she'd fallen asleep, at her desk, and looked out the office window. A wide grin appeared on her face and she actually fist-pumped the air before moving around the desk and hurrying outside to meet the trailer. She was in the process of texting Amanda when she spotted Kevin emerging from the Stallion Barn with a halter and lead rope. She had a feeling he was excited about the arrival as well. She had two halters and lead ropes herself and by the time the truck parked near the Main Barn, Amanda had appeared with three more halters and lead ropes, handing one of them to Kevin.
The driver and his assistant got out of the truck and came over to Kira. She noticed that the assistant went to start unlatching the trailer and she could already hear the horses moving around inside. The driver handed her a clipboard for her to sign and she grinned broadly. "Thank you so much. How were they on the drive?"
"They were alright, Miss Ravenwood. Couple o' them were bouncing around a bit ago, but we got them settled down just fine."
"Thank you again. Alright guys, let's go get them." Kira was the first to head toward the trailer and she was instantly in love with the whole lot. Unloading first one, then another, she headed toward an unused pasture to give them a bit of unwinding time and to allow them to grow accustomed to their new surroundings. She smiled at the two paint mares she held leads to. Spots of Colour was a white-faced beauty who pranced beside her, ears flicking this way and that as she took in all around her. She had an idea that this girl would fit right into her racehorse breeding program without a problem. The mare on her left, Royals On Fire, was a blue roan tobi who showed a lot of promise in the cow pens. Kira was certain she'd match well with Silver.
Letting them loose into the pasture, she watched them stop, look around once, then take off together. It warmed her heart to see that. She turned to let her sister who was walking with two of the other mares, Lena One Gun and LP Please Pass The Chic, toward her. The similar coats - one golden with flaxen hair, the other golden with dark hair - made such an appealing sight. She smiled when the buckskin mare (Chic) nipped at the palomino mare (Dilli) who simply pinned her ears and snorted at her. Amanda released them into the pasture with the paint mares and Kira leaned on the top rail of the fence as the quarter horse girls took off to join the other two in the field.
Hearing a scream from behind her, she turned around in time to see the last two, being led by her older brother, Kevin, in a dominance battle. Rolling her eyes, she stepped away from the pasture fence, leaving Amanda in control of the gate, and headed to help her brother. Kevin was having a hard time keeping the horses away from each other, fearing for their safety. He was grateful for Kira's help. "Thanks," he said softly when she took the mare's lead.
"Put him in the smaller paddock near the geldings, Kev."
"Sure thing, sis." Then he was leading the buckskin overo Thoroughbred stallion away from the others and Kira had to hold Fashionable Spark's lead even tighter. "No girl, you can go after him. He's no good for you." She smiled and kissed the dunalino roan's muzzle before turning her toward the pasture with the mares in it and releasing her with them. Amanda closed the gate and relaxed. "There, that's done."
"Yeah, but did you see the way A Zillion Rumors was acting? He's quite full of himself still, isn't he?"
"Yeah, he was. What are you thinking, Kir? Sending him back to the track?"
"I am, Amanda. I think he should have another shot. He did finish third in his maiden, after all. He might just win it next time out." Besides, she thought to herself, she had a hunch about him and wanted to see if she was right. "I think we'll have Lena start riding him in the mornings with the others. After he has a couple days to settle down from the ship, that is."
Amanda nodded and looked up as Kevin returned to them, having put the stallion by himself near the geldings. The delivery guy was leaving and Kira smiled at her siblings.
"I think I will send an e-mail to Kara at 3R Performance and let her know that they arrived safely. Amanda, don't forget to send Bryan my way if you see him. You, too, Kev. I need to talk to him."
Kevin nodded and couldn't help the grin that appeared on his face. That guy was working on borrowed time here at Ravenwood Farms. Kira didn't take crap from anyone and Bryan was pushing her buttons, big time! He had to wonder... No, Kira wasn't looking for that. She had the horses. That was her life. Giving Amanda a push, he laughed and jogged off back toward the Stallion Barn where he'd been checking on the boys there.
Amanda huffed, but didn't chase him. Kevin was too fast for her anyway. She turned and headed into the Broodmare Barn to check on the adorable foals and their mothers. It was her favorite part of living here. She got to help with all the babies. That always made her day better, no matter how badly it went.
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